Bangkok may not be an obvious choice with a toddler in tow, but it has so much to offer. We were pleasantly surprised with just how kid-friendly Bangkok is. Here’s how to make the most of your visit to this beautiful city with a toddler or baby!
Best way to get to Bangkok centre from the airport when travelling with kids
Entrance to The Grand Palace Bangkok
Bangkok is notorious for heavy traffic, so, if possible, plan your flights to avoid peak times. There are two airports serving the city—Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi. We flew with Singapore Airlines, so we arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport.
Getting from the airport to Bangkok city centre with young kids
We were staying at Banyan Tree Bangkok, which is in the Business District of Bangkok. It’s a short walk from the MRT. As I was travelling alone (my husband, Josh was already in Bangkok with work), I decided to pre-book a transfer from the airport. I can recommend Transfer BKK (no affiliation!), who were on time and easy to chat with. They were also more reasonable than the hotel’s quoted price for a transfer, which is often the case.
You can get taxis from the airport, but I wanted to have a car seat which the transfer company provided. You could alternatively bring your car seat, but be aware that taxis won’t always have seatbelts which defeats the object of the car seat! I thought I’d play it safe and opt for a transfer with one already in.
You can also get the Airport Rail Link which is quick (around 30 mins) and cheap. As I’d never been to Bangkok before, and for ease when travelling alone with a toddler, I settled for a transfer. Having used the MRT during our visit and been super impressed, I’d definitely consider this option if I was staying near one of the train stops in the city.
How to get around in Bangkok with kids
Is the MRT in Bangkok easy to use with kids?
As mentioned, I was so impressed by the metro in Bangkok. It was clean, regular, and so cheap and would give the London Underground a run for its money. I’d recommend it and it also avoids the notorious traffic queues. The MRT has numerous lines and is easy to use with stations at most tourist hot spots. It does get busy, but it’s not any different to a busy underground. Plus it has air con so a welcome relief from the heat.
Getting taxis in Bangkok with a toddler
As well as normal taxis, Bangkok has the carpooling app Grab. This is a good way to book a taxi without having to worry about hailing one. Unfortunately, there isn’t the Grab family option with car seats, hopefully, this will be added soon.
Tuk-tuk with toddlers in Bangkok
Of course, there is the iconic tuk-tuk that’s quite the novelty when you’re in Bangkok. If you’re going to use one remember they probably aren’t the safest choice due to how open they are and lack of seatbelts. It’s probably best to opt for a short distance. Also, they are not actually that cheap so it’s better to get a taxi if going further afield and save them for the novelty on shorter journeys.
Getting a boat with toddlers in Bangkok
Finally, you can also get around to see certain areas by boat. We used the ferry to travel along the river between sights and it’s a great way to see more of Bangkok. There are lots of options from tourist tours and private hire boats to the normal ferry which we did. If doing the latter note that they don’t hang around even if you are with a baby or toddler – get on and off quickly and hold on. Jess didn’t seem to notice and loved it regardless!
What to see and do in Bangkok with a toddler
Now you know how to get around Bangkok with kids, the next part is planning an itinerary. Luckily, you’re not short of options when it comes to things to do with kids in Bangkok.
Day 1 – Chatuchak Market & The Children’s Museum
On pretty much every itinerary suggestion I read in advance of our trip, Chatuchak Market was a must-visit if you visit Bangkok on a weekend. To call Chatuchak a market is a bit of an understatement. It feels more like a small town covering 35 acres (with 15,000 stalled!). And it’s a maze so be prepared to get lost. I could have spent hours here. There’s everything from clothing to beautiful handmade crafts, and then plenty of food stalls. Although the warren of alleyways between stalls offers some welcome relief from the sun, it’s best to get there early as it can still get quite hot (and very busy) as the day progresses.
The Market is close to several MRT stops making it easy to get to. We got off at Kamphaeng Phet, but the Chatuchak Park stop is also close by.
What I loved about the market is also its location next to some really good toddler-friendly activities in Bangkok. Although the market is great for toddlers to look at, it can get a bit boring after a while and I wouldn’t recommend letting them run wild if yours are anything like Jess, losing a toddler in there really would be a needle in a haystack!
Chatuchak Park in Bangkok with kids
The market is a perfect destination for a family as it can be easily combined with Chatuchak Park across the road. The park is a welcomed green oasis from the hustle and bustle of the market and busy streets. It also has a small lake and play area. You wouldn’t travel here just for this, but it’s good to have as an option. However, don’t spend too long here if you do decide to visit as the real kid-friendly attraction is the Children’s Discovery Museum Bangkok. This is just a stone’s throw away from the market on an adjacent road.
Children’s Discovery Museum Bangkok
The Children’s Discovery Museum Bangkok boasts both wet play areas and a brilliant playground that’s sure to impress even the older kids.
There’s also a dinosaur exhibition where you can use a range of tools to dig for fossils. Other indoor activities are on offer if you need a break from the heat. We loved the dedicated 0-2 year old room which had some lovely toys and activities. The museum is timed so you can go in certain slots so it’s worth checking the times in advance. It also doesn’t have any cafe facilities so grab food outside first. If you’re bringing your own then there are tables and chairs (although we didn’t see any high chairs). It’s fair to say Jess loved it here and it was nice to have a balance of activities for the day.
Pool time in Bangkok with a toddler
We headed back to our hotel pool for some much-needed downtime (if you can call it that with a toddler!). Staying in a hotel with pool facilities is a plus, especially with kids as it can get quite hot in Bangkok so it’s nice to have this option as well as sightseeing.
We ate locally close to the hotel that evening. The hotel itself has lots of food options, but expect to pay quite a premium for this. We decided to explore not far from the hotel and found a local cafe serving incredible green Thai curry – I love the food in Thailand!
We did head up to the famous Moon Bar at the hotel which has spectacular views and would make the perfect date night if you’re travelling alone. Although our toddler was very much welcome and other children were also there too.
Day 2 – Kid-friendly things to do in Bangkok: Temples, boats and Chinatown in Bangkok with a toddler
Day 2 was all about temples and the historic sights of Bangkok, there are many! I’d recommend you pick one or two or space them out especially if travelling with a little one.
The Grand Palace, Bangkok
We opted for The Grand Palace, one of the most famous sights. Be warned – it’s busy. We thought we were heading there early but in hindsight knowing they open at 5am is perhaps telling and by 9am it was packed! Even without a toddler I would have found it hectic but add a pram into the mix and it’s really hectic! In hindsight, a baby carrier might have been a better option. Having said that outside of the must-see sights in the Palace, it is a little quieter so there were areas where Jess could explore.
To say the Palace is stunning is an understatement. The level of detail in the buildings is incredible and probably the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. Jess enjoyed it a lot more than I thought too – particularly the elephants!
If I went again I’d consider nearby Wat Pho which is also meant to be stunning, but perhaps a little less busy than The Grand Palace so possibly more kid-friendly.
More toddler-friendly things to do in Bangkok: Take a ferry tour
There’s lots to see in this area but we decided to head to the river and take a boat back towards our hotel via Chinatown. The ferry point (if you can call it that!) is a short walk from The Grand Palace.
From here you can get a range of boats from private hire where you can have a whole boat to yourself and tour the river, as well as arranged tours. There’s also the local ferry that goes up and down the river between stops (there are a lot of stops!). We opted for the latter.
Buy your ticket before you queue up and then you’ll be ushered down. Ushered being the polite term, as mentioned above there’s no waiting around here so have your pushchair ready and folded. (If you don’t have a travel pram you might want to avoid the boats!). Again a carrier is perfect here.
We really enjoyed the boat as a way to see a different side of Bangkok. You also pass by some of the famous hotels which feature along the riverside.
Chinatown in Bangkok with a toddler
The boat takes you straight to the dropoff point for Chinatown. From here you can pick up a tuk tuk or it’s a short walk. Again a stroller is challenging in Chinatown. We didn’t have any issues with our travel stroller, but Chinatown probably tested it to the max. Pavements are small and full of street vendors and it’s busy, so very hard to get far with a pram. I’d opt for a baby carrier or perhaps avoid it otherwise. (We also went near lunchtime so it was pretty busy).
Although I liked Chinatown, it’s probably not that baby-friendly, so I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again. That said, seeing all the Chinese New Year festivities at the time we were visiting was nice.
Street markets in Bangkok with toddlers and young children
After a relaxing afternoon, we decided to venture out in the evening and stumbled across a lovely market at Si Lom. It just happened to be on when we were there, but it’s worth looking for similar evening markets taking place during your visit. Si Lom is quite near to Patpong, and if you know Bangkok well, you’ll know it’s probably not the obvious choice for a toddler (think ping pong shows)!
We were heading to Si Lom MRT to catch the sky train to Siam, which is an area with quite a few malls (and children’s play options!). We never made it there in the end – but we would have Playmondo on our list for next time because it has great reviews.
Day 3 – Kid-friendly parks in Bangkok (and a Thai massage)
Lumpini Park, Bangkok
We thought we’d start our final day with a short stroll in the pretty and green Lumpini Park which is famed as Bangkok’s equivalent to New York’s Central Park with skyscraper views in the background. It definitely provides welcome relief from the hustle and bustle of the city. It also offers a number of playgrounds, so worked well for Jess too.
Thai massage
We also decided to end our trip with a massage – something Thailand generally is renowned for. We’d been recommended Healthland time and time again for its affordability as well as brilliant massages so we decided to go with this
The building looks impressive and it’s big! Although the waiting area does feel a little less relaxing with the regular announcement of names (it’s very busy!) don’t let that put you off.
Our review
Not knowing much about massages and guessing that it was probably best to opt for the traditional Thai massage, I went in very excited for two hours (it’s a minimum two hours for a Thai massage) relaxation. We decided we’d take it in turns to look after Jess so I went first. When I was asked to put on some strange looking PJs it dawned on me that my idea of relaxing music and massage oils was probably not that accurate. This turned out to be the case and I was quite literally manhandled by a lovely (but not so little) Thai lady.
It’s definitely an experience and it probably did more good than a relaxing equivalent. I felt like I’d received a badge of honour for getting through it too and ticking it off the bucket list! Josh was up next and he had a very small lady but I think she was still quite brutal even though he is six-foot-three.
More kid-friendly attractions in Bangkok
We didn’t think it was really fair to let Jess run riot in the waiting room and we selected this spa location as there’s a number of kid-friendly activities close by. Next door is Terminal 21 Asok, a shopping mall themed as an airport. Although I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit, it’s quite a novelty as far as shopping malls go for kids with different themes and countries on each floor. A short walk away is also Benjakitti Park which has a lake and green space.
Post-massages we headed to the airport for our flight home, tired but happy and feeling like we’d done Bangkok justice, but also had a toddler-friendly break which we hope Jess enjoyed too!
Top tips when travelling with a toddler or a baby in Bangkok
- Bring baby essentials. Although there are supermarkets (see below), the choice was more limited especially if you require baby food.
- Lotus Tesco is a good option to stock up on products you don’t have. We found the one in Chinatown during our visit there, which was great.
- Although I loved The Banyan Tree, consider the practicalities of a hotel room. Especially when your toddler goes to bed early. Also, if you’re likely to need to prepare food. There are bigger club rooms which also give you access to the club floor. This has a dedicated playroom so they might be worth considering.
- Food is great generally throughout Bangkok. Jess loved rice dishes as well as eating corn on the cobs which were often for sale on the go.
- Consider a travel pram or ideally just a carrier around Bangkok if your baby or toddler still goes in one.
- Use the MRT to get around in Bangkok with young kids – it’s brilliant!
The Guestbooks’ verdict: “Although Bangkok might not be an obvious choice for a break with a toddler, there’s actually a lot on offer. The locations make it easy to pair must-see sights with more toddler-friendly options too.”
Updated: February 2025
